While earning a college degree is always challenging, it can be more difficult for some students than for others. Data from the U.S. Department of Education shows that only 20 to 40 percent of students who enroll in a degree program achieve their degrees within a year or two of the program’s intended length.
Fortunately, a support hierarchy method of student engagement allows institutions to reach each student through channels and methods designed to have the greatest impact.
With the right methodologies, technology and analytics, it is possible to mass-personalize support in a cost-effective manner.
Matching support to need
Using a support hierarchy approach makes it possible to give every student the specific support and resources he or she needs to succeed while making the most effective use of valuable support staff time.
The idea is simple: Focus support re-sources where they can do the most good by allocating combinations of high-touch, higher-cost interventions and lower-cost, low-touch interventions.
The process is premised on continuously categorizing students into one of four groups based on both their current need for intensive support and likelihood of engaging with it:
